Search Results (1,355)

The transition to sustainable energy systems demands efficient recycling methods for critical raw materials like lithium. In this study, we present a new class of pH- and light-switchable flotation collectors based on isomeric derivatives of the natural product Punicine, termed inverse Punicines. These amphoteric molecules were synthesized via a straightforward four-step route and structurally tuned for hydrophobization by alkylation. Their performance as collectors was evaluated in microflotation experiments of lithium aluminate (LiAlO₂) and silicate matrix minerals such as melilite and calcium silicate. Characterization techniques including ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy as well as contact angle, zeta potential (ζ potential) and microflotation experiments revealed strong pH- and structure-dependent interactions with mineral surfaces. Notably, N-alkylated inverse Punicine derivatives showed high flotation yields for LiAlO₂ at pH of 11, with a derivative possessing a dodecyl group attached to the nitrogen as collector achieving up to 86% recovery (collector conc. 0.06 mmol/L). Preliminary separation tests showed Li upgrading from 5.27% to 6.95%. Radical formation and light-response behavior were confirmed by ESR and flotation tests under different illumination conditions. These results demonstrate the potential of inverse Punicines as tunable, sustainable flotation reagents for advanced lithium recycling from complex slag systems. Full article

Transition-metal and rare-earth element co-doped ZnO nanoparticles have attracted significant attention due to their potential applications in spintronics and optoelectronics. In this study, Zn_0.95Co_0.01EuxO (x = 0.01–0.05) nanoparticles were synthesized using the sol–gel technique. The estimated stress, strain, and crystallite sizes of the synthesized Co/Eu co-doped ZnO nanoparticles were calculated using the Williamson–Hall method, and their electron spin resonance (ESR) properties were investigated to examine the effect on their magnetic and structural properties. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis confirmed the presence of a single-phase structure. Surface morphology, elemental composition, crystal quality, defect types, density, and magnetic behavior were characterized using scanning electron microscope (SEM), electron-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and ESR techniques, respectively. The effect of Eu concentration on the linewidth (ΔBpp) and g-factor in the ESR spectra was studied. By correlating ESR results with the obtained structural properties, room-temperature ferromagnetic behavior was identified. Full article

Background and objective. Anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV) affects small- to medium-sized vessels and is characterized by the production of ANCAs. The ANCA-negative term is used if the patient otherwise fulfills the definition for AAV but has negative results on serologic testing for ANCAs. The objective of this study was to compare ANCA-positive and -negative vasculitis patients and to evaluate the main differences possibly related to the presence of ANCAs. Material and methods. A cross-sectional study of 73 patients treated at the tertiary Rheumatology Centre of University Hospital from the 1 January, 2001, to the 31August, 2023, with diagnoses of AAV was carried out. Clinical characteristics and laboratory data were collected at the onset or at the first year of the disease. Results. Forty-eight (65.8%) patients were ANCA-positive, while twenty-five (34.3%) were ANCA-negative. Distribution by gender was similar in both groups, with a female–male ratio of 2:1. C-reactive protein (CRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) were elevated for all AAV patients, but values were higher in the ANCA-positive patients’ group. The median hemoglobin was 106 g/L in the seropositive group and 127 g/L in the seronegative group. A higher prevalence of kidney involvement (60.4%) with elevated serum creatinine level (93.5 µmol/L) was observed in the ANCA-positive group compared with 24% and 70 µmol/l in the ANCA-negative group (p < 0.05). Neurological involvement was more frequently found in the ANCA-positive patient group, too: 29.2% compared to 20%. Among patients with ANCA-negative vasculitis, 88% had pulmonary; 92% ear, nose, throat (ENT); 48% joint; and 28% skin presentation. In comparison, involvement of these organs was less common in the ANCA-positive patients’ group, at 79.2%, 60.4%, 31.3%, and 25 %, respectively. Conclusions. ANCA-positive patients appear to be in a more difficult clinical situation in terms of organ involvement and laboratory changes. Full article

Background: Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) is a progressive disease that easily develops into cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, but its pathogenesis is not clear, and most therapeutic drugs have obvious limitations. However, Babao Dan (BBD) has a good therapeutic effect on liver disease, but its treatment mechanism is still to be studied. Therefore, we further investigated the mechanism of BBD in treating MASH. Methods: We predicted BBD-related targets through network pharmacology and further verified the binding ability of BBD-related targets through molecular docking. We also detected relevant indicators before and after model treatment, as well as metabolomics analysis and identification of the mechanism of action of BBD on MASH. Results: Through network pharmacology methods, 158 key cross targets and the top 10 core targets were identified, and it was determined that the PI3K-AKT signaling pathway plays an important regulatory role in the treatment of MASH with BBD. The molecular docking results indicate that the representative compounds quercetin and 17 Beta Estradiol have good binding activity with five core targets. Metabolomics has identified four metabolic biomarkers, such as Piceid, and it is determined that the key pathway for BBD treatment of MASH is the bile secretion pathway. Conclusions: BBD effectively treats MASH by modulating Piceid and other biomarkers, targeting ESR1 and other core proteins via quercetin and 17-beta-estradiol, and regulating the PI3K-AKT and bile secretion pathways to alleviate liver injury. Full article

Background: Personalized medicine in axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) requires accurate tools to assess inflammation and tailor disease monitoring. The role of traditional biomarkers such as erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP) remains controversial due to limited sensitivity and variability across disease profiles. Objective: To compare the performance of ESR and CRP in different clinical scenarios of axSpA, including disease activity, functional impact, severity, disease duration, and exposure to biologic therapy. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of 330 patients with axSpA. Correlations among ESR, CRP, and composite disease indices were evaluated. The discriminatory capacity of each biomarker for relevant clinical thresholds was analyzed using ROC curves and optimal cut-offs identified by the Youden index. Results: ESR showed broader correlations with disease impact and activity scores than CRP. While both markers had low sensitivity overall, they were highly specific for identifying patients with very high disease activity in select scenarios. ESR ≥ 8.5 mm/h and CRP ≥ 1.88 mg/dL were strongly discriminatory in patients not exposed to biologics. CRP ≥ 0.56 mg/dL showed good performance in early disease. Conclusions: Both ESR and CRP provide complementary insights into disease activity in axSpA. ESR may offer a broader reflection of disease burden beyond inflammation. These results support a more personalized biomarker strategy in real-world axSpA management, adapted to patient profile and treatment context. Full article

Background: Total hip arthroplasty (THA) is a well-established surgical procedure for end-stage hip arthrosis. Innovations such as minimally invasive approaches and new technologies have improved outcomes and reduced invasiveness. The introduction of short-stem prostheses, which offer potential benefits in bone preservation, has been a significant development in recent years. This prospective case series study aims to compare invasiveness of the short-stem (SS) and conventional-stem (CS) prostheses in THA with a posterolateral approach (PLA) by assessing perioperative serum markers. Methods: A prospective case series was conducted involving consecutive patients who underwent primary THA from January 2022 to December 2023. Demographics and preoperative, postoperative day 1 (POD1), and postoperative day 2 (POD2) serum levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), procalcitonin (PCT), and white blood cells (WBCs) were measured. Results: The study included 21 patients with CS and 19 with SS, with no significant differences between groups in demographic. No statistically significant differences were found in serum markers between SS and CS groups at any time point. Both groups showed significant increases in ESR, CRP, and PCT from preoperative levels to POD2 (p < 0.001), while WBC values increased from preoperative to POD1 but decreased between POD1 and POD2. Conclusion: The short-stem prosthesis does not exhibit significantly different perioperative serum marker profiles compared to the conventional stem, suggesting similar levels of surgical invasiveness between the two implants. Further studies with larger sample sizes are needed to validate these findings and explore other aspects of short-stem THA. Full article

Background: Prostate cancer is a common malignancy among men worldwide, with various histopathologic features that influence its progression and prognosis. One such feature is perineural invasion (PNI), which has been associated with aggressive disease. In this retrospective study, we analyzed genomic alterations associated with PNI in patients who underwent radical prostatectomy. Methods: A total of 421 prostate cancer patients who underwent radical prostatectomy without neoadjuvant therapy were identified from The Cancer Genome Atlas. PNI was present in 378 patients (89.8%) and absent in 43 (10.2%). Differentially expressed genes were identified, and mRNA expression levels of key genes were analyzed. The prognostic significance of these genes was evaluated using log-rank tests and Cox proportional hazards models to estimate hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals. Results: Levels of COL9A3, ASPN, ESR1, MUC1, PIP, SFRP4, KRT19, CLDN1, and COMP were significantly higher in the tumor tissues of patients in the PNI group compared to those in the non-PNI group (q < 0.05), and RYR2, MME, and AZGP1 expression levels were significantly higher in the non-PNI group (q < 0.05). A high mRNA expression level of AZGP1 was associated with longer disease-free survival, whereas high mRNA expressions of ASPN, COMP, RYR2, and SFRP4 were associated with shorter disease-free survival. Conclusions: Prostate cancer patients with genomic alterations associated with PNI may face a higher risk of disease progression after prostatectomy, highlighting the need for further prospective studies to validate these findings. Full article

Background and Clinical Significance: Gliomas diagnosed during pregnancy are rare, and there are no established guidelines for their management. Effective treatment requires a multidisciplinary approach to balance maternal health and pregnancy preservation. Case Presentation: We here present a case of rapidly progressing glioma in a 33-year-old pregnant woman. The patient initially presented with a generalized tonic–clonic seizure at 21 weeks’ gestation. Imaging revealed a tumor in the right cerebral lobe, involving both cortical and subcortical structures, while magnetic resonance spectroscopy suggested a low-grade glioma. The patient remained clinically stable for two months but then developed severe headaches; MRI showed a worsening mass effect. At 34 weeks’ gestation, an emergency and premature caesarean section was performed under general anesthesia. The patient then underwent a craniotomy for maximal tumor resection, which was histologically and molecularly diagnosed as IDH wild-type glioblastoma (GB). Using qPCR, we found that the GB tissue showed upregulated expression of genes involved in cell structure (GFAP, VIM) and immune response (SSP1, TSPO), as well as increased expression of genes related to potential hormone response (AR, CYP19A1, ESR1, GPER1). After surgery, the patient showed resistance to Stupp protocol therapy, which was substituted with lomustine and bevacizumab combination therapy. Conclusions: This case illustrates that glioma may progress rapidly during pregnancy, but a favorable obstetric outcome is achievable. Management of similar cases should respect both the need for timely treatment and the patient’s informed decision. Full article

Background: Autoimmune liver diseases (ALDs) are a diverse group of chronic inflammatory disorders. Individuals with a history of one autoimmune disease (AD) are at a substantially increased risk of developing additional autoimmune conditions. Polyautoimmunity has increasingly been recognized as a factor associated with a more complex disease course and poorer long-term outcomes. Methods: This retrospective, cross-sectional observational study reviewed medical records of patients diagnosed with ALDs who had been admitted to the gastroenterology clinic. Results: A total of 457 patients with ALDs were included. Polyautoimmunity was present in 194 patients (42.5%), and multiple autoimmune syndrome (MAS) was diagnosed in 26 of these patients (5.7%). Serological comparisons revealed that antinuclear antibody (ANA) positivity was significantly more common in the polyautoimmunity group. Only 22.2% of the patients with polyautoimmunity were ANA-negative, compared with 52.9% in those without. An ROC curve analysis was conducted to assess the predictive value of clinical and laboratory variables for polyautoimmunity. Among all the tested parameters, ANA positivity (>+2) had the strongest predictive value (AUC: 0.724). A disease duration longer than 6.5 years followed, with a moderate discriminative capacity (AUC: 0.677). Additionally, lower albumin levels (<3.0 g/dL) and elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rates (ESRs) (>29.5 mm/h) were significantly associated with polyautoimmunity. Conclusions: In our cohort, 42.5% of patients had at least one additional autoimmune disorder, highlighting the need for a systemic and comprehensive approach to patient care. Simple and accessible markers—such as ANA titers, disease duration, albumin levels, and ESRs—may help to identify patients at greater risk. Full article

Vitamin D is essential for calcium homeostasis, bone mineralization, immunity, and disease prevention. In a field study with Holstein-Friesian dairy cows, the impact of prepartum vitamin D₃ treatment on early postpartum placental gene expression, focusing on calcium metabolism, feto-placental growth, and immune response, had been investigated. Eight multiparous cows were treated with 10 mL vitamin D₃ (1 million IU cholecalciferol/mL) intramuscularly on day 273 of pregnancy, while eight others remained untreated and served as controls. Placental tissues were collected post-calving, and gene expression was analyzed using quantitative real-time PCR. Among 23 genes, 5 showed significant downregulation in the treated group: CaBP-9k (reduced by 88.1% from 32.80 ± 91.50 to 3.90 ± 8.54), ESR1 (reduced by 95.7% from 7.89 ± 17.87 to 0.34 ± 0.34), LHR (reduced by 96.5% from 3.75 ± 5.45 to 0.13 ± 0.17), NOD1 (reduced by 94.1% from 4.21 ± 7.00 to 0.25 ± 0.30), and TLR1 (reduced by 99.7% from 24.80 ± 61.45 to 0.07 ± 0.08). These results suggest that vitamin D₃ supplementation affects key pathways related to calcium transport, reproductive function, and immune response in the bovine placenta. These molecular changes may help to explain improved calcium homeostasis and reduced postpartum complications, offering insights into how targeted nutritional interventions can enhance reproductive efficiency in high-producing dairy cows. Full article

In Europe, corporate sustainability reporting through the double materiality assessment was formally introduced with the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive in response to the European Sustainability Reporting Standards. The double materiality assessment is essential not only to determine the scope of corporate sustainability reporting but also to guide companies toward an efficient allocation of resources and shape corporate sustainability strategies. However, although EFRAG represents the technical adviser of the European Commission, there are numerous “interoperable” standards related to the assessment of double materiality, including the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), or UNI 11919-1:2023. This research intends to systematically analyze similarities and divergences between the most widespread double materiality assessment standards at the global scale, highlighting their strengths and weaknesses and trying to identify a comparable path toward the creation of a set of common guidelines. This analysis is carried out through the systematic study of seven standards and by answering nine questions ranging from generic ones, such as “what is the concept of double materiality?”, to more technical questions like “does the standard identify thresholds?”, but adding original prospects such as “does the standard refer to different types of capital?”. Findings highlight that EFRAG, UNI 11919-1:2023, and GRI represent the most complete and least-discretionary standards, but some methodological aspects need to be enhanced. In the double materiality assessment, companies must identify key stakeholders, material topics and material risks, and must develop the double materiality matrix, promoting transparent disclosure, continuous monitoring, and stakeholders’ engagement. While comparability is principally required among companies operating within the same sector and of similar size, this does not preclude the possibility of comparing firms across different sectors with respect to specific indicators, when appropriate or necessary. Full article

Seven lager beers and seven non-alcoholic counterparts, marketed by the same producers, were analyzed for their total phenolic content (TPC), radical scavenging activity (RSA) towards the DPPH radical and ThioBarbituric Index (TBI). All beers were also subjected to spin trapping experiments at 60 °C in the presence of PBN. To our knowledge, this is the first time that non-alcoholic beers (NABs) have been subjected to spin trapping experiments coupled with Electron Spin Resonance (ESR) spectroscopy. The evolution of the intensity of the PBN radical adducts during the first 150 min was represented graphically and the intensity at 150 min (I₁₅₀) and the area under the curve (AUC), were measured. The I₁₅₀ and the AUC of lagers and NABs are significantly different, whereas the TPC, the EC₅₀ of the DPPH assay, and the TBI of the two groups are superimposed. A relationship, previously proposed by us, to correlate ESR spectroscopy parameters with others obtained from UV-Vis spectrophotometry, was also applied, demonstrating its practicability. Multivariate analysis shows that clustering in two separate groups occurs only if I₁₅₀ and AUC are included in the model. Based on these results, ESR spectroscopy can be applied to study the oxidative stability of NABs. Full article

The Quaternary saw numerous reorganizations of the hydrographic network, greatly modifying the hydrological network of these rivers. Eastern France is well known for many stream captures, described as early as the late 19th century. The oldest of these have been dated to the Middle Pleistocene. It is interesting to note, however, that these sites, located in the heart of vast limestone plateaus, have systematically become peatland zones, and understanding their functioning is fundamental to wetland restoration and renaturation programs. In addition to serving as biodiversity reservoirs, these peatlands also represent substantial carbon storage potential in the context of global climate change. Using two examples—the Marais de Saint-Gond and the Bar peatland—we propose to provide the key to understanding the origin of their sedimentary filling and the consequences of their current hydrogeological functioning. Full article

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease that may affect the central nervous system, leading to cognitive impairment associated with chronic inflammation and pain. Objective: To assess the relationship between cognitive function, disease progression, pain intensity, and clinical parameters in patients with RA. Materials and Methods: This study included 62 RA patients, including individuals with comorbid conditions. Cognitive performance was assessed using the Automated Neuropsychological Assessment Metrics (ANAM) battery. Associations between cognitive function and pain intensity (VAS), inflammatory markers (ESR), number of disease flares, and surgical interventions were analyzed. Results: Patients with isolated RA demonstrated better performance in visuospatial memory and cognitive flexibility compared to those with comorbidities. Increased pain intensity and the number of disease flares were associated with impaired attention, memory, and psychomotor speed. Conclusions: Chronic pain and high disease activity in RA negatively impact cognitive functions. Routine neuropsychological assessment should be considered in the comprehensive clinical management of RA patients. Full article

Conventional ammonia production uses fossil-based hydrogen, resulting in high greenhouse gas emissions. Given the growing demand for sustainable solutions, it is essential to replace fossil hydrogen with renewable alternatives. This study assessed the technical, economic, and environmental viability of renewable ammonia production in Minas Gerais. To this end, an optimization model based on mixed integer linear programming (MILP) was developed and implemented in LINGO 20^® software. The model incorporated investment costs; raw materials; transportation; emissions; and indicators such as NPV, payback, and minimum sale price. Hydrogen production routes integrated into the Haber–Bosch process were analyzed: biomass gasification (GS_WGS), anaerobic digestion of vinasse (Vinasse_BD_SMR), ethanol reforming (Ethanol_ESR), and electrolysis (PEM_electrolysis). Vinasse_BD_SMR showed the lowest costs and the greatest economic viability, with a payback of just 2 years, due to the use of vinasse waste as a raw material. In contrast, the electrolysis-based route had the longest payback time (8 years), mainly due to the high cost of the electrolyzers. The substitution of conventional hydrogen made it possible to avoid 580,000 t CO₂ eq/year for a plant capacity of 200,000 t NH₃/year, which represents 13% of the Brazilian emissions from the nitrogenated fertilizer sector. It can be concluded that the viability of renewable ammonia depends on the choice of hydrogen source and logistical optimization and is essential for reducing emissions at large scale. Full article